Summary of The Book of Salt

Due Thursday, February 20

400-500 words, typed, double-spaced, and stapled.

For this assignment you will write a summary with very specific requirements. These requirements are very important for my evaluation of your summary.

Here are the steps for writing your summary:

  1. Select a character other than Bình from The Book of Salt.
  2. Briefly describe the way Bình's relationship with the character develops in the novel.
  3. Select two short passages (no more than 50 words per passage) that illustrate the relationship. You should be careful in selecting your passages. Ideally, the relationship between Bình and the character changes between the two passages.
  4. Explain why the relationship develops the way that it does. Pay particular attention to the influence of socioeconomic class, colonialism, and sexuality.

In this summary I am asking you to answer an analytical question. You need to analyze the novel in order to answer the question of "why." The answer to the question of "why" is the thesis of your summary, and it should appear at the end of your first paragraph. It is likely that your summary will consist of an introductory paragraph that introduces the character (do not introduce Bình), summarizes the relationship, and ends with the thesis statement. You would then have one paragraph devoted to explicating the first short passage, one paragraph devoted to explicating the second short passage, and a conclusion that restates the thesis with support from the two short passages.

The following errors will result in a reduction of your grade:

1. Not following the requirements. For example, your grade will be reduced if you do not analyze the relationship in terms of socioeconomic class, colonialism, and sexuality.

2. Plagiarism (I will not give you credit, but you can rewrite the assignment for credit).

3. Factual errors and misrepresentation of events in the novel.

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